Adoption Network Cleveland

Normally at 8pm on a Monday, our Monday Evening Speaker Series is getting underway... But since the program is on a break for the summer, we thought we'd share some ENCORE presentations!

Tonight we have "Advocating for Change in Utah’s Adoption Landscape - Ashley Mitchell & Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard" which was recorded on January 6, 2026.

Join Utah Adoption Rights co-founders Ashley Mitchell and Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard for an informative workshop on the ongoing crisis of Utah's private adoption practices. This session will unpack how “adoption tourism,” financial incentives, and weak safeguards in the law create conditions that advocates say blur the line between adoption and exploitation, and why Utah has been called the “wild west” of adoption. Join us to learn about Utah Adoption Rights’ organizing and storytelling work, key provisions in the forthcoming adoption amendments bill, what to watch in the upcoming legislative session, and how recent media coverage is shaping the push for meaningful reform.

Watch their presentation here: https://ow.ly/Mcm450Z7IAr

Learn more about our Monday Evening Speaker Series here: https://ow.ly/YLnw50Z7IAo

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO BE PART OF OUR OVER THE EDGE URBAN RAPPELLING ADVENTURE!

On Saturday, August 22nd, be part of a unique opportunity to rappel down 1300 E. 9th Street in Downtown Cleveland! Your participation will help you embody two of our core values, COURAGE and TRUST, both of which are central in taking the brave step to be part of this 255-foot journey Over The Edge.

The deadline to complete your fundraising is Friday, August 14th -- THAT GIVES YOU TWO WEEKS -- so there's no time like the present to get signed up!

REGISTER HERE: https://ow.ly/UCBj50ZvWSc

LEARN MORE ABOUT GOING OVER THE EDGE HERE: https://ow.ly/4qmU50ZvWSa

If you have any questions, connect with Sarah via email at [email protected].

BE PART OF THE TEAM on August 22nd!

We are still recruiting volunteers to help make our Over The Edge urban rappelling event run smoothly -- interested? We'd love to have you!

Learn more and sign up here: https://ow.ly/M2Gk50ZvbhU

Any questions, connect with Sarah at [email protected].

Transnational adoptees are invited to join us on Tuesday, August 11 at 8:00 pm for this month's Transnational Adoptee Support Group Meeting.

Our Transnational Adoptee Support Group Meetings are virtual, offering a safe space for transnational adoptees to explore the challenges and lifelong experiences shaped by adoption across borders. To ensure this space is centered on our shared yet nuanced experiences, we ask that only transnational adoptees attend.

Register through the calendar on our website - https://ow.ly/JzLv50Zur2i

What does it mean to belong? 🌍💭

Rhonda Roorda spent years questioning her identity as a Black child raised by a white family. In "Torn from the Root," she finally tells her full story — pain, resilience, and healing.

Come hear her speak in Cleveland on Sept 26. This one will stay with you. ✨

🗓️ Saturday, Sept 26 | 2:00–4:00 PM
📍 Coventry Village Library
🎟️ FREE, but space is limited — register now!

👉 Register on Eventbrite: https://ow.ly/akhm50ZnpCs

⭐📸HELP US CAPTURE THE MOMENT - PHOTOGRAPHERS NEEDED for Over The Edge on August 22nd!📸⭐

They call it the "money shot" -- that moment when rappellers take that brave step over the edge. And we want to capture that once-in-a-lifetime experience for each and every one of our brave participants!

We are looking for individuals who would be willing to be up on the roof as well as on the ground to take photos throughout the day. Over The Edge has partnered with Fotaflow for this year's events, so all you'd need is a smart phone that is capable of installing the Fotaflow app.

If you are interested in learning more OR signing up for a shift, kindly connect with Sarah at [email protected].

Or you may opt to sign up via our Volunteer form -- other volunteer opportunities beyond photography also available. Learn more here: https://ow.ly/7K2q50Zv6Vw

🤔 Have you seen our posts about going Over The Edge and wondered what this urban rappelling fundraiser is all about? Have you ALMOST completed the registration and then realized you had a question or two? Maybe you already HAVE registered but still have a few questions about how this event works.

If that sounds like you, join Sarah and Patricia are here to help!

We have one final info session on Thursday, August 13 @ 12pm via Zoom. Register here: https://ow.ly/YXpE50Zb7Qb

If you have questions but aren't able to attend this this info session, no worries! Reach out to Sarah at [email protected] to set up an alternative time to chat.

It is not required for you to attend an info session in order for you to get registered. If you know you're ready to join our adventure, this is the link for you: https://ow.ly/6HvY50Zb7Qa

Coming up this Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 8 pm ET - join us for our DNA Discovery Support Group facilitated by Oliver and M.C.

If you have either found family using commercial DNA testing or been found by family who used commercial DNA testing, then this group is for you. You do not need to have a formal adoption connection to be in this group, but you do need to have a DNA discovery for this group to be relevant to you.

Finding family or being found - whether you are looking or not - is a major life event. It can upend long-held beliefs about ourselves and challenge the very things that make us feel like, well..., ourselves. Things like biological parentage, ethnicity, religion, birth order, just to name a few. There are also a myriad of reactions from those who have either unexpectedly found us or to the news that we have found them. Sometimes those reactions are not what we had hoped for, or what we anticipated. It can all be very overwhelming. This group will focus on supporting each other during and after such DNA discoveries. These are not one-time events; they are lifelong journeys.

Pre-registration is required: https://ow.ly/AJyV50Zuqoa

How about this exciting treat: PHYT FOR FUNCTION will be back again this year at Over The Edge from 9am-1pm to offer some R&R for our rappellers!

DETAILS ABOUT WHAT WILL BE ON OFFER:

We love being part of this community! That's why we're bringing a free pop-up recovery station to Over the Edge, offering cupping, soft tissue mobilization, joint mobilization, and stretching at no cost to participants and families. Come see us before or after your rappel to loosen up and treat your body right.

Whether you're dealing with a nagging ache, recovering from an injury, or just want to move and feel better, that's who we're here for. PHYT for Function brings physical therapy, occupational therapy, and personal training together under one roof, no referral needed. We're proud to call Northeast Ohio home, with locations in Hudson, Beachwood, Fairview Park, Boardman, Twinsburg, and our flagship spot inside the Screw Factory in Lakewood, where we also offer group fitness. Come say hi, we'd love to meet you!

Visit us at https://ow.ly/qwsv50ZvaH2 or follow us at !

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Learn more about going OVER THE EDGE with us by connecting with Sarah at [email protected] or by clicking here: https://ow.ly/GK3750ZvaGW

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